KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has noted with concern the reported increase in vehicle hijackings in Durban’s suburbs.
Mchunu has however expressed confidence that the multi-disciplinary task team that has been assembled would soon be on top of this situation.
Mchunu was commenting in the wake of reports indicating that there has been an upward trend in the hijacking of vehicles in Durban suburbs such as Morningside, Westville, Greenwood Park, Malvern, Montclair, Wentworth, Reservoir Hills, Mariannhill and the Bluff.
Mchunu said these incidents were unfortunate but police were working around the clock to put an end to the scourge.
He urged the local communities to work with police in a bid to rid out these criminal elements.
“It appears that criminals have become more daring and ruthless in pursuance of their criminal objectives. This only call for increased vigilance and a robust partnership between the communities and police in our united bid to rid our areas of these thuggish elements,” said Mchunu.
Mchunu said the provincial police management had already assembled a special task team- made out of members of the Flying Squad, the K9 unit, eThekwini Metro Police, Tracker and Department of Transport’s Special Operations, to pay particular attention to this challenge of vehicle hijackings in Durban.
“Indications are that progress is being made and the team is working around the clock to stem the tide of this trend. Since April this year, the task team has recovered 58 vehicles, arrested 43 suspects and recovered 11 firearms,” said Mchunu, adding that his was over and above daily operations conducted by individual police stations.
Media contact:
Kwanele Ncalane
Cell: 072 803 1462 / 079 699 5755
E-mail: Kwanele.ncalane@kzntransport.gov.za
Sipho Khumalo
Cell: 082 682 6437
E-mail: Sipho.khumalo@comsafety.gov.za
